Profile Warships 38 : Abdiel-Class Fast Minelayers ;by Tom Burton.

"This Profile should prove popular as it deals with some of the best-known ships in World War II. The British fast minelayers of the Abdiel class were famous for their high speed runs carrying supplies to the beleaguered island of Malta, at a time when all other ships except submarines dared not risk the attempt. The names Abdiel, Latona and particularly Manxman and Welshman will always be associate dwith the Malta epic, despite the fact that the ships had never been designed for this purpose. What made these ships so useful was their combination of high speed and capacity, the speed to slip into Malta unescorted and a capacious mine-deck to carry such items as ammunition and spares to keep Malta's Spitfires airworthy. A normal warship has little room to carry 'cargo' of this sort, but the Abdiel had a long enclosed deck taking up two-thirds of the upper deck. In addition the minelayers had a heavy anti-aircraft armament which gave them a reasonable chance of survival in the dangerous waters of the Mediterranean."--Provided by the publisher.